Welcome to Danny Pino Online, your number one source for everything regarding actor Danny Pino. Danny is best known for his role as Detective Scotty Valens on Cold Case and Detective Nick Amaro on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Here at Danny Pino Online, we hope to provide you with the latest news, photos, and more concerning Danny. Be sure to visit us daily to see if anything is new.

From the very start of Season 15, Law & Order: SVU has been pulling out all the stops. And since its brutal premiere — which saw Mariska Hargitay’s Detective Olivia Benson savagely tortured by a serial rapist — the show sudden has everyone talking again. But has it been going too far? That’s one question viewers have been struggling with since the graphic season premiere.

Speaking exclusively with Wetpaint Entertainment, Hargitay’s co-star, Danny Pino, who plays her partner Detective Nick Amaro, gave us his thoughts on the escalating violence this season. He also opened up about his partnership with Duracell Quantum to donate 40,000 of the world’s most advanced and long-lasting alkaline batteries to the Miami-Dade police and fire rescue departments. Here’s what he had to say:

Wetpaint Entertainment: What interested you about the partnership with Duracell Quantum?

Danny Pino: Given that I’m from Miami and I play a police officer, it spoke to me. Also, having a brother who is on the force in Miami-Dade, it was an honor for me. I’m honored to take part in anything that gives back to our first responders and our community.

Tell us a little more about the program.

Well, these aren’t regular batteries. Thanks to the technology, they last longer. It’s the kind of technology our first responders need to keep up with the equipment they use. Equipment that often makes the difference between life and death. And it’s not just Miami-Dade — Duracell is donating a million of these batteries nationwide.

Let’s talk about Season 15 of SVU. It’s caused a lot of controversy so far with respect to its brutality. What are your thoughts?

You know, any show that’s been on the air 15 seasons has its challenges of remaining relevant. The goal is to write shows that are provocative while also changing the paradigms of these characters.

That first episode set the tone for this season. We’re not just going to follow these investigations, we’re also going to explore how these detectives suffer unspeakable violence while trying to stem the current of crime and do their jobs. Normally, when shows have been on this long, they become gimmicky or outlandish, so I really tip my hat to the writers for keeping things grounded. I think the show is in its renaissance, actually.

What kind of transformation will we see in Detective Amaro this season?

The premiere set things in motion in the squad room. There’s a sea of change. And I think the entire season can be encompassed in the term ‘Save Benson.’ It wasn’t just about the first episode. She needs to become a survivor, not a victim — and her partner is the closest thing she has to someone who can attempt to empathize with her.

He’s someone who wants to help her and wants to see her back to the strong and confident Liv she was, but the stress of that does start to affect his personal life. His world will crumble because of the pressure he feels in the squad room.

No stranger to TV’s crime drama genre, Law & Order: SVU actor Danny Pino (Detective Nick Amaro) has made quite the name for himself on the small screen, having initially carved out a niche for himself as Scotty Valens on CBS’ Cold Case.

Even though we’re all investigating sex crimes, it now has the residue of what happened in the premiere episode. Every investigation has that residue.”

While Pino couldn’t get into the most minute of details on Detective Amaro’s fate, he did confess that they’ll indeed be murky waters ahead for his character in more ways than one.

“Nick Amaro is going to have some turmoil from within the squad. Potentially not only with his partner given her challenges, but also with ADA Barba. You’re also going to see Nick Amaro have some hurdles to jump with his personal life with his wife and with trying to keep his life outside the squad room in order.”

Amid the news that veteran actor Richard Belzer (Munch) would be stepping down as a series regular, Pino elaborated on a rather unique experience he had when initially meeting his fellow cast member and future mentor.

“I was getting ready for my first read-through of the season as a cast member and he made his way around the table and I was the last one he got to. I stood up and respectfully put my hand out and he slapped it out of the way and gave me an incredible and endearingly welcoming hug. He served as a mentor on screen and a friend and a mentor offscreen.”

Speaking of offscreen, the actor also took the opportunity to talk about Duracell’s Quantum Heroes program, which he joined up with for a charitable cause.

“This campaign is about giving the most technologically advanced batteries to first responders across the country to the tune of one million batteries.”

Born and raised in Miami, Fla., the cause at hand undoubtedly hits home for Pino. To make matters even more personal, his very own brother works as a real-life detective for the Miami Dade Police Department as well.

“Having been born and raised in Miami-Dade County and Duracell donating 40,000 batteries to the Miami-Dade Police Department and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue means a lot to me. My brother is a detective in the Miami-Dade Police Department so that makes it a personal thing as well.”

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Danny Pino returned to the city of Miami—where he was born and raised—to donate 40,000 Duracell Quantum batteries to first responders of the Miami-Dade Police Department and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue yesterday. With his brother Detective Jaime Pino by his side, Danny spoke to members of the media about the importance of first responders having the latest technology at their disposal in case of emergencies.

Why was it important for you to team up with Duracell for this campaign?

When I heard about it I thought that [this campaign] covers a lot of topics that are important to me—mainly first responders in the city of Miami. I have an intimate understanding of what they do having played a police officer on television for several years as well as having my awareness elevated even further seeing my brother who is a detective here in Miami-Dade County.

It’s a very personal thing to be able to play a part in the donation of 40,000 new Duracell Quantum batteries. They are the most high tech batteries available and that makes me all the more excited to be able to provide that type of technology to the people who are out there protecting us and saving lives.

As part of the campaign, there is an online docu-series called, “Quantum Heroes” that really brings to light the importance of first responders. Why is this element so important?

The videos are an extremely important part of what Duracell is trying to do. They are shedding light on the real-life heroism and bravery of first responders who go out every day and do this anonymously. I have to admit; when I first saw it a few days ago I got a little emotional. Being a father and a brother of a first responder, it’s visceral to watch these videos. By showing this to people, I feel that they will be able to appreciate what these men and women do every day.

Even though you’re a big Hollywood star now, you’ve never forgotten about your roots. What are some of your favorite memories of Miami?

The first thing to pop into my head as you asked me about my memories from growing up here is the Orange Bowl. Even though it isn’t around anymore, I remember going there to watch the Miami Dolphins play and how crazy it was to find parking there! It was an experience to have to go behind buildings and houses through narrow alleys as your side mirrors scratch on the side. But as you walked out, you could smell the arroz con pollo and frijoles negros being cooked by the people who were taking the money for parking in their backyards. It was all part of that community feeling you find in Miami. This always has been and always will be home to me.

It’s a great time to be a Latino in Hollywood. Where do you see things moving beyond 2013?

I’m incredibly proud of my heritage. Being Cuban-American and being Latino to me is an important part of my identity. While working on Law & Order: SVU there are several scenes when I throw in some Spanish into my dialogue. The incredibly talented Raul Esparza, who is also a Cuban-American from Miami, and I have an episode coming up where we have an entire scene in Spanish. It’s not going to be just Spanish—but Cuban Spanish, which was exciting for us working on network television where such a thing is rare to see. I think it speaks to how multicultural television wants to become and needs to become. So I’m hoping [the scene] will bode well [with audiences].”

Welcome to Danny Pino Online, your number one source for everything regarding actor Danny Pino. Danny is best known for his role as Detective Scotty Valens on Cold Case and Detective Nick Amaro on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Here at Danny Pino Online, we hope to provide you with the latest news, photos, and more concerning Danny. Be sure to visit us daily to see if anything is new.

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